Golf Reservations Spain

If you have driven through Mijas Golf recently you might have been concerned by  the current colour and  condition of the grass on the Lagos course which is both bare and brown: not, on the face of it, a pretty picture to the visiting golfer.
Do not be alarmed as this is all part of the wider plan with Los Lagos being closed throughout the whole of 2012 for major maintenance work. The grass has been treated with a fertilizer called ‘Rondon’ which effectively kills the grass but, at the same time, prepares a better base for the new seeds to grow. Other works being carried out include new buggy paths being laid, alongside improvements to bunkers, fairways, tees and greens. The latter will adhere to USGA  specifications. No date has been set yet for the grand reopening but work will take the better part of a year.
No doubt the architect of the Lagos course, Robert Trent Jones Snr, would have approved of the ongoing work in progress. Dating back to 1976, the name of the course was inspired by the lakes which guard the entrance to several greens. It encapsulated his classic, ‘heroic golf philosophy’ which placed an emphasis on risk and reward shot making. Or, to put it another way, allowing for easy bogeys but hard pars! On no hole is this more evident than on the Par 5 fifth which has a daunting lake running along the side of your approach to the green. Then again, it takes a brave soul to try to reach the 13th in two with water right and left and a narrow landing area. At 6367 metres it isn’t a ‘drive and flick’ course either with most clubs in the bag usually used.
Overseeing the maintenance work is a new greenkeeper called Francisco Tirado Machuca who, after completing his agricultural degree,  completed several courses related to golf agronomy. Work  experience came his way via a stint at Rio Real followed by a position at the prestigious Lumine Golf on the Costa Dorada. Here, Greg Norman designed two championship standard layouts and Fabio Peral, formerly of La Quinta, is currently the commercial manager. We welcome Francisco back to the Costa del Golf and wish him every success in his new role.
Do not despair as it is business as usual on the sister course, ‘Los Olivos.’ To meet demand starting times have been reduced to a minimum of eight minutes allowing for an extra 17 tee times per day – if required – or effectively 68 players. The fact that the short first is wide open and appears easy – if you don’t come a cropper on the small landing area – should allow for a         reasonable pace of play.
Other improvements include courtesy WIFI being available in Mijas Golf’s restaurant. An ideal location where one can click on the link and also follow the progress and images online, as the club is editing a weekly blog found on their home page www.mijasgolf.org